PeterLanky
member
Reged: 17/09/2005
Posts: 190
Loc: Lancashire
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I have happily used RAW shooter essentials for a couple of years. However, it has just struck me that if I was to change my cameras (EOS20Ds), to more modern ones, the RAW images would be incompatible with RAW Shooter. I have Canon's Digital Photo Professional, but find it much harder to use than RAW shooter, particularly as the tools palette disappears every time I click on an image. Can anyone recommend a RAW converter, preferably free, that has the simplicity, but the features of Essentials?
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Lancashire - Where it all happens.
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Bawbee
Out on a whim
Reged: 06/05/2000
Posts: 7056
Loc: Dundee, Scotland, UK
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Hi Peter,
I'm not sure if it's still available, but Capture One LE is quite useful. See a review here - C1 LE e-Photozine. The Phase One website is here - Clicky
Bob
Edit: IIRC Rawshooter was bought out by Adobe and incorporated in Lightroom(?).
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Bawbee BSRIPN
"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant."
Bawbee Louis Stevenson 1850-1894
Edited by Bawbee (09/09/2008 20:07)
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Muffin
enthusiast
Reged: 14/09/2006
Posts: 383
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I have used C1 LE for some time. I think I paid about £70 for it and I seem to have got a free upgrade of C1 4.1 - I prefer C1 LE! I find it works very well with my 30D pix. I save the processed results as 16 bit TIFF's and then open them in APS CS2
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My Flickr
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El Sid
Going potty
Reged: 14/04/2003
Posts: 9463
Loc: Sussex-by-the-Sea
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Quote:
I have Canon's Digital Photo Professional, but find it much harder to use than RAW shooter, particularly as the tools palette disappears every time I click on an image.
I used to use RSE with my D30 and 20D but now mostly use DPP. TBH I find it much easier to use on the whole - in RSE I always struggled to get the shadow, highlight and fill values right and somehow the images never looked smooth when I exported them to PS. The only time I use it now is when I have a noisy file as it has much better noise control than my copy of DPP.
The tool palette can be set to remain visible in DPP. On one of the drop-down menu items at the top is one called 'Preferences' - palette visibility can be set on on of the option tabs...
From what I've seen the Adobe Camera RAW converter in PS and Elements seems to be very similar to RSE - not surprising since Adobe gobbled Pixmantec up...
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Nigel
Completely BSRIPN 
ElSid Gallery
A camera in the hand is better than one in the cupboard........
Edited by El Sid (10/09/2008 12:54)
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Benchista
Wich Tyler
Reged: 11/08/2000
Posts: 37849
Loc: Everywhere and nowhere, baby
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Peter, have you got the latest version of DPP? It's much improved on the one that shipped with the 20D.
Adobe Lightroom is vaguely similar to RSE, which is perhaps unsurprising as Adobe bought it for precisely that.
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Nick
www.nbrphoto.com
Light and Shade II - the new blog
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PeterLanky
member
Reged: 17/09/2005
Posts: 190
Loc: Lancashire
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Thank you for all the comments. I shall address them altogether. I do not really want to go for a paid option, as I am still using RSE while my cameras are still supported, and have access to DPP and the RAW converter in Elements 5.
I have been using an old version 3.0.1.5 and have now downloaded the latest version, though on fist view, I can't see any difference.
I have attempted to 'dock' the tool palette, but it remains floating whether I set it to docked or floating in the preferences. Any ideas? It disappears when I click on an image to edit it and reappears when I close the edit window. I have to move the edit window out of the way and click on the tool icon, which is a pain if I have to do this each time for 300 images.
I am also aware of the PS Elements RAW converter, but I don't seem to be able to access it. I recall when I first got Elements, that when I opened it, I was given a number of options. Now it opens immediately into edit mode. I do use the downloader in Elements, as it is active in my system tray, and assume that if I wanted to work with the images as soon as I download them, then I would be able to do this. However, I usually convert and edit my images a day or so later, and don't seem to have the option of using the RAW converter. Any ideas here?
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Lancashire - Where it all happens.
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El Sid
Going potty
Reged: 14/04/2003
Posts: 9463
Loc: Sussex-by-the-Sea
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Quote:
I do not really want to go for a paid option, as I am still using RSE while my cameras are still supported, and have access to DPP and the RAW converter in Elements 5.
Currently Raw Therapee seems to be about the best of the free converters. Looks a bit like RSE too...
Quote:
I have attempted to 'dock' the tool palette, but it remains floating whether I set it to docked or floating in the preferences. Any ideas?
Odd... I can't remember exactly how mine is set up on the preferences but I can check when I get home. I have a feeling though that it's possible to set the preferences differently for the index screen and the edit screen...
Can't help with Elements as I don't have version 5...
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Nigel
Completely BSRIPN
ElSid Gallery
A camera in the hand is better than one in the cupboard........
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john2
journeyman
Reged: 25/09/2006
Posts: 90
Loc: Manchester. UK.
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Peter, In Elements 5 Edit mode, if you go to File>Open (or double click in the grey blank part of the window). and navigate to the Raw file you wish to process, it should open automatically in Camera Raw. I have used it for a few months, and never touched the Organiser. I also installed the free version of DP Magic, which allows you to see thumbnails of Raw files before you open them. Hope this helps,
John
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PeterLanky
member
Reged: 17/09/2005
Posts: 190
Loc: Lancashire
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John, Thanks for that. It's not as straightforward as it could be, as I would in effect have to convert my Canon CR2 files to DNG files before I start. However, it does give me another option if I change my cameras, though I think I would prefer the DPP route if I can ever work out how to dock the toolkit.
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Lancashire - Where it all happens.
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john2
journeyman
Reged: 25/09/2006
Posts: 90
Loc: Manchester. UK.
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Peter, It has just occured to me to ask whether you have upgraded Camera Raw to the latest version, 4.5. which is compatible with Elements 5 and also to the Canon 40D. I feel sure that you shouldn't need to convert to DNG if you have Elements 5.
John
Edited by john2 (11/09/2008 16:38)
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PeterLanky
member
Reged: 17/09/2005
Posts: 190
Loc: Lancashire
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John, Thanks again. This is proving quite interesting as an exercise. I now have installed camera RAW 4.5 and it does indeed not require conversion to DNG files. I now have to work out if the associated .xmp file can be saved in a subdirectory in a similar way that RSE stores its .nws files rather than mixed in with the .cr2 files.
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Lancashire - Where it all happens.
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john2
journeyman
Reged: 25/09/2006
Posts: 90
Loc: Manchester. UK.
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Hi Peter, I don't think you can do that. In Camera Raw Preferences, you have the choice of saving the data in .XMP Sidecar files, in which case they are saved alongside the original Raw file, hence the name, or save it in the Camera Raw database. As far as I know, you only need XMP files if you want other applications, such as Lightroom, to see the changes you have made. Or probably if you want to copy the images to another disc with the adjustments. I don't think you can save them in a seperate folder, as Rawshooter did. Be interesting to see if anyone more knowledgable has any comments.
John
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Craftysnapper
enthusiast
Reged: 05/01/2006
Posts: 327
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Quote:
I am also aware of the PS Elements RAW converter, but I don't seem to be able to access it. I recall when I first got Elements, that when I opened it, I was given a number of options. Now it opens immediately into edit mode.
When it opens in Edit mode in the top bar got to Window > Welcome, this will open the welcome screen and in the bottom left of this screen is a drop down menu where you have three choices of how you want it to start, you can alter how it opens from here. I presume this is what you mean, if not or you have other quries give a shout. 
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My Glass Is 4/3rds Full
Paul
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PeterLanky
member
Reged: 17/09/2005
Posts: 190
Loc: Lancashire
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Quote:
Quote:
I am also aware of the PS Elements RAW converter, but I don't seem to be able to access it. I recall when I first got Elements, that when I opened it, I was given a number of options. Now it opens immediately into edit mode.
When it opens in Edit mode in the top bar got to Window > Welcome, this will open the welcome screen and in the bottom left of this screen is a drop down menu where you have three choices of how you want it to start, you can alter how it opens from here. I presume this is what you mean, if not or you have other quries give a shout.
Yes, this is the set of options I mean. Now, having seen them again, they are not what I want but at least I now know I'm not going mad.
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Lancashire - Where it all happens.
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PeterLanky
member
Reged: 17/09/2005
Posts: 190
Loc: Lancashire
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Quote:
Hi Peter, I don't think you can do that. In Camera Raw Preferences, you have the choice of saving the data in .XMP Sidecar files, in which case they are saved alongside the original Raw file, hence the name, or save it in the Camera Raw database. As far as I know, you only need XMP files if you want other applications, such as Lightroom, to see the changes you have made. Or probably if you want to copy the images to another disc with the adjustments. I don't think you can save them in a seperate folder, as Rawshooter did. Be interesting to see if anyone more knowledgable has any comments.
John
I'll keep the xmp files as I never know when I may need them again. I'm not confident about using the database as I may lose the settings if I ever have a PC crash, and also if I change my computer at a future date.
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Lancashire - Where it all happens.
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